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For any chemotherapy cream, which is what efudex and carac are, you should use it for 4 weeks. If the skin turns red but doesn't crack and peel, you just have to do it again. The skin has to peel off for the sun-damaged cells to be gone. I have been doing this since September but I only do a small spot at a time. First the area between my upper lip and nose, then my forehead, then one cheek, the other cheek, the chin. Now doing the neck and chest area. It hurt like hell the first tioome but I am used to it now. The itching when peeling is the worst for me.

The reason for doing this is that I had 5 actinic keratoses on that area between my lip and nose. They were all frozen but one came back. Frozen again and came back again. So, time for the chemotherapy cream. Not all sun-damaged skin will become an AK but ALL AKs will become squamous cell carcinomas in time. I decided I would rather go ahead and treat my whole face rather than have to watch like hawk forever. I am vain enough not to want having a divot taken out of my face! The cream is by prescription so you need to see a dermatologist.

The end result is the same as a cosmetic peel but more thorough and cheaper. The generic cream cost me $2.

Oh I cracked and peeled like crazy...def like a second degree burn! Painful!! I can already tell the new skin is very smooth and soft. I guess it depends on how quickly ones skin reacts to the efudex that would determine how long to use. For me ,I find that once the skin is open,red, cracked and oozing, I need to keep applying the efudex for two weeks from that point then stop and let the healing begin. Some areas take up two 2 weeks to even get to the RIO (red, inflammed and oozing) stage.

Ian? What stength of glycolic acid do you recommend after efudex healing has occurred?

I'm trying out the 50 strength. First application over the weekend and my face already feels much softer. There was minor redness yesterday, but otherwise, no one has said anything or noticed. But it definitely has done something noticeable to my skin.

Ok ty Ian...my daughter uses the glycolic acid 40% and she's been very happy with the results and the gentle process compared to the efudex/chemical peel.

I was wrong... I'm using the 35 to start, as I saw suggested in some of the reviews of the product on Amazon. I just did my 3rd application last night and I can't believe how smooth/soft my face feels. And being able to do it without redness/peeling is great. I assume it takes longer to get the full effect since it's not as drastic. I'll move up to the 50 after I'm done with this bottle.

I do chemical peels at home (WAY cheaper and I can do them as needed). I get the chemicals from a major online distributor - salicylic acid and glycolic acid. The results have been good - it's NOT a miracle treatment but I think most people will be able to see positive results of some sort. I have some fading of sun spots - I do it to clear out my pores (and it works very well in that department). It makes my skin "glow" and makes it smoother. It is uncomfortable to do though - it's more like an annoying burning sensation. Start out slowly (for only a few minutes MAX) and then you can gradually increase as you see fit and your skin becomes used to the treatment.

I moisturize heavily with Origins Youthtopia or Perfect World moisturizing cream afterwards. I only do the peels at night because it increases sun sensitivity (for a day or two for me). I apply a 40+ sunblock during the day afterwards (and a spf 15-30 sunblock in between). If you don't apply sunblock, the sunspots will return. My skin does look it's best when I do a peel and I'd recommend going to a professional first to make sure you're not overly sensitive or allergic.

I am in the middle of my hours to become a licensed clinical aesthetician, and part of that includes chemical peels and microderm.

There are a ton of different kinds of peels, and they can all be very dangerous, since they are acids.

Please, if you are thinking of a chemical peel; have it professionally done!

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